Before Dawn
by Erythrina Cristagalli
Summary: "Isn't it ridiculous, Lelouch? To be asked about human's feeling and love after those centuries? When and where I'm not belong to anywhere nor anything any more?". There're darkness, stillness, coldness, yet beautiful sky before dawn.


**Before Dawn**

Setting : Day before Lelouch's execution

AN/: I know my English is a big mess. But when I previewed this fiction about a month after I published it, I realized that my English in this fiction is a big disaster! So, I edited it as best as I could and re-posted it.

Warning: First fanfic, really influenced by my fangirlism, and couple of grammar error.

Disclaimer: If I own Code Geass, it wouldn't become Code Geass.

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C.C. stood in gazebo. She was concentrating on her paint which was almost done.

It's her last day in the Palace. The Palace where she spend his last days with him and Suzaku. One day before his execution.

"Such a pretty painting." C.C. turned around and saw Lelouch behind her. It suprised her that she didn't realize his coming. Wasn't her code always make her know where and how he is? She mentally made ironic smile. She WAS starting to chance.

"Pretty?" She looked back at her paint and resumed her work.

"Un, not just beautiful, but pretty. Although another paints in your memory room are also beautiful." Lelouch studied his partner expresion, was afraid that he hurt her by mentioned about her past life which he had saw. She seemed to be not disturbed, so Lelouch went on while he was studying her paint. "Those're gentle, honest, and affecting. Then, this one is also like that, yet so different. It's more bright, happy, hopefull, as if..." At that point, he gazed her.

" 'As if...' ?" C.C. put some other line on her work.

" As if to symbolize new beginning, lifefull live." Lelouch didn't avert his gaze.

Slowly, C.C. put some other spots on her paint before put her painting tools on nearest desk. She strolled to the edge of gazebo. Her eyes observed a solitude bird flied across the sky.

It's not that she wanted to drown in that moment, when he was still alive. It's because it would be her first happy precious memory over centuries that she felt the need to paint something from that moment. After so much painfull and lonely years of experience, finally, she would be able to live. True live which she had wished for. Therefore, she needed it as memento. At least, that's what she tried to believe in.

" Too humanly for me, isn't it?" The scene and the conversation between her and Kallen in last battle played clearly on her mind. But, her voices and body were composed. Hundreds years of practice wouldn't betray you, see?

When it seemed like he wouldn't answer that question, she continued.

"Isn't it ridiculous, Lelouch? To be asked about human's feeling and love after those many centuries? When I'm not belong to anywhere nor anything any more?"

Lelouch didn't know by whom she had been asked about that. But he knew her live both as human and as witch. When she was human child, she had been treated worst than animal for a slave she was. Then she had been loved for the geass she had. Not that she could get her true love by that power. Instead of that, she found that she only been used as tool by the only person she loved and trusted. Then she had been hated for the code she had. Tortured and killed in many cruel ways which were hurt him so much every time he remembered it, even that very time. She had lost her human self in endless flow of time, before she had ever felt be truely loved or treated as human, even if once.

"Isn't it good to act humanly? Even Demon Emperor as I have right to have some human feeling accosionaly, so why don't you? And what is it ridiculous about you who were asked about love? You have survived and live till now. Isn't it mean that either you belong to this era?"

"What was that, Lelouch? Are you comforting me? Do you feel attachment to me? Or is it pity?"

C.C. once asked those questions and he once answered. Still, he dazed and hesistated again before he answered. "Hmp. Be it comforting, attachment, pity, or I only said simple facts which you have missed, why are those bother you?"

C.C. lowered her gaze and smiled bitterly_. Is it? Do I? Why is it become some simple matter in front of Lelouch? Is it a bliss of naivety,or Is it just me who make it complicated? But, can I? _C.C. remained silent.

"Do you want to belong to somewhere, someone?" Lelouch asked as he saw her unease.

"Beat me." C.C. still not turned her gaze to him.

Lelouch walked toward her, stood beside her, leaned and put his head on hers.

"Then, it is here." He whispered gently. C.C. turned her gaze toward him. She didn't expect him to say that. Not even once.

" Your came in contact with that nune, your geass, your code, and your travel over centuries are purposed. Because our meeting is inevitable, because your place is by my side, because you belong to me." He said in charismatic confident voices that always made people believed whatever he said.

C.C. smiled softly then chuckled. "What an arogant womanizer's lines." Smirk played on her lips. She felt Lelouch stiffen because been irritated. "While I know you will die within hours, how suppose I believe those lines? Is that your kindness or your cruelity?"

C.C. realized, Lelouch's stiff body become relaxed as he acknowledged. "That's just my egocentric and selfishness. Even if it heard cruel, I'm really glad and gratefull to your immortality so that you could come here, by my side." Yet, it couldn't take all his stiffness. With smile still plastered on her face, she gently moved away from Lelouch. She step away from him, but Lelouch held her in her place.

"Wasn't it you who said that you would be remain as the last one I have? Isn't it mean that even if every one leave me, you will be by my side till my very end? I believe, it's vice versa. So that, you're not alone. You won't ever alone since we meet."

" 'till the end', huh? If it's vice versa, It would be forever, you know?" C.C. turned to face him one more time. Criticized what he said as if to showed him some missing facts.

"Then, let it be forever. In both good time and bad. Even if from the dead's world, I will search any way so that I can keep my promise to you. Both to make you not alone and to make you smile. Even if we are in different world. If you can't believe in yourself, isn't it alright to believe in me? I'm Zero, The Man of Miracle, aren't I? Therefore, It's alright for you to hope, to live, and to act humanly no matter everyone says. "

Who would doubt such promise that be said with those determined eyes? AS IF he could rise from his death. Who would not believe in Zero, no, Lelouch, a man that could make impossible become possible? _Beside, won't I be able to speak to him in C's world since I have code and can go there anytime? _C.C. thought. Then, Lelouch saw that smile on C.C. face. That smile's not bright, sweet, make him forget about his pain, nor promise salvation as someone's he knew. Instead, that smile was tender,encouraging, washed away his hesistation, gave him confident and relief, let him know that he could pass any problem, do anything include impossible thing because she know and understand him well, because she believe in him. Because that's C.C.'s true smile. And like a miror, Lelouch unconsciously smiled in same way to her.

"_Do you start to have human feeling now? Do you love him now?"_ Kallen asked from C.C.'s memory. C.C. keep her gaze and smile to her partner. _"I dont know."_ That's C.C.'s answer back then. _But, does it really need answer?_ It didn't matter what the nature of their relationship. It didn't matter as long as they understood each other more than anybody in this world. As they knew that they're bond to each other over centuries. As they accomplished their each of goals and ended their searching journey together. As they could make their new more-painless-and-gentle-world and could put their hope in that world. As they smiled to each other and had each other. As those were their reality. And it would not change. Would never ever change.

"Not alone. In both good time and bad. Forever"

"Not alone. In both good time and bad. Forever"

_It doesn't really need answer , does it?_

—The End—

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How is it? I really apreciated reviews I got before (You are so kind even if, as I said before, my English in this fiction was a big disaster). I love this fiction, so I will be really glad when there are other who like and enjoy it.

Please review!


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